“We have created a culture where a company would fire a valued employee because of social pressure. The social pressure should be the view “I don’t like what you have to say, but I’ll defend with my life your right to say it.” In a culture that values free speech, he doesn’t get fired. We are becoming/have become a culture which is beholden to the dogma of petty tyrants. Free speech is dying.”
How do you know that Varner was a ‘valued employee’ of the real estate company?
Perhaps he was, maybe he was not, but it is not our under our purview to determine his value to the company.
While our culture should value free speech, we should also respect a businesses’ right to control who is under their employment or contract.
Under the Constitution, KKK members have a right to march in Skokie, but under the terms of their employment, they may not have to right to hand out their business card while at the march.
I can't speak for Homer1, but perhaps he feels that, while it is not a violation of any civil right for a business to fire an employee for expressing an opinion, he still finds it worthy of condemnation.
I am pro-Trump. Nevertheless, if, e.g., the stationery shop I patronize fired one of its employees for making an anti-Trump statement, I would find that morally offensive, and would voice my indignation. Perhaps I would even boycott the shop and/or encourage others to do likewise - but I would likewise be opposed to any attempt to legally sanction the shop.
Regards,